Island



` j WILLIAM. H. BAKER,

UNITED STATESl .PQ'TEN-T. OFFICE.. 'Y

or PAw'rUoKEnAssIcNoR 'ro BAKER a BURNETT, or PRov'IDIrNcE., .RHQDE ISLAND.

RAI-I fJoINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,082, dated December 24, 1895. Appiimion flied March I, 1395. sain No. 540,196. oro model.)

To @lll whom/'it indy concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BAKER, of Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and A State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification;

This invention has for its object to provide a rail-joint to secure together the abutting ends of two rail-sections quickly and securely without the use of bolts and nuts and therefore wit-hout the liability of the accidental disconnection of two connecting` parts which is liable to occur where bolts and nuts are employed.

. To this end the invention consists in the improvements which l will now proceed to describe and claim.

- Of the accompanying drawings, forming a l part of this specification7 Figurel is a per'- spective view of my improved rail-joint complete. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a rail and my improved rail-joint. Fig. 3 is a transverse section similar to Fig. 2, showing the man-ner of applying my improved rail-joint.

Fig. 4 is a perspective vi`ew\ of a special toolv for applying my-improved rail-joint. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the end o f a rail. Fig.

6 is a perspective view` of a chair formingv part of my improved Vrail-joint. Fig. 7 is a .modification of Fig. 5.

tion of Fig. 6. A

Corresponding parts in the several views are indicated by like letters of references The essential parts of, my improved rail joint are, first, a chair A formed to support the'flange a of the rail Band provided with two upwardly-.projecting resilient flanges b Fig. 8 is a modificalocated at opposite sides of the rail-supporting seater surface c of the chair; and, secondly, two shplates C formed to lit the rail in the usual manner and provided Iwith out wardly-projecting ribs CZ, which are located between the edges ofthe fish-plates, so that the outer edge of each rib is at the apex of an equilateral isosoeles triangle, of which the inner side of the fish-plate is the base. The said resilient flanges are beveled at their inner upper sides e and provided with longitudinal grooves f below the beveled portions and at a height above the rail-seat to engage and hold the edges of the fish-plate ribs. lThe said fish-plates and the intermediate portion ofthe rail are proportionedto spring the said resilient lianges outwardly, andthe length of the said fish-plates is greater than the length I55 of the said chair, to receive a special tool D' formed to grasp firmly the said fish-plate ribs.

`The operation of connecting and dis'con, necting is performed in the following manner :4

Referring in particular to lFig. 3, A is a chair, 6o y B is a rail seated th erein', and C is a fish-plate adjusted to the rail and to the resilient flange b, the edge of the rib d being engaged with the longitudinal4 groove f. The-second fish-plate is placed in the positionA shown at C and a special tool D applied to eachV projecting end. Downward pressure upon the outer ends of the'said special tools causes the edge of rib d to slide or ride down thejbeveled portion e and snap into the groove f, the resilient flange b 7o yielding outwardly as the said edge is forced downward and pressing inwardly upon the said edge when the same'pass'es from the said beveled portion into the said groove,the pressure exerted by the said 'resilient flanges be- 75 ing such as to graspan'd hold firmly the said fish-plates and the interposed rail. The special' tools are then removed and the joint is complete. To disconnect, the .special tools are applied as before, and pressure upward 8o against the outer ends thereof forces the said edge of the rib from the said groove and releases the several parts. The location of the rib between the edges of the -fish-plate, as above described, ,causes the rib` to befirmly supported by the fish-plate, so that it cannot be easily tipped in either direction.

The chair A is further provided withprojections h in the side of the seat thereof adapted to engage with notches 7c 'in the rail- 9o flanges at or near the ends thereof for the purposeof preventing an endwise movement of the rail in the chair; and With-notches in the edge of the base-plate Z'thereof, by which the same maybe bolted or spiked to the roadbed.

It will be seen that by the described construction l avoid weakening the rail by drill- .ing or punching bolt-holes therein; that the joint is quickly made and broken, and that roo my improved rail-joint is simple and inexpensive in manufacture and application.

It will be further evident that the sh-plate ribs could be made to receive any wrench or lever; but I prefer to makeit in the form and manner shown and to provide a special tool fitted thereto, thus preventing tampering with the joint by unauthorized persons for unlawful purposes.

Pins or plugs cZzmay be driven into the ribs d in position to bear against the endsof the flanges of the chair, to prevent endwise displacement of said ribs and the fish-plates.

I claiml. A rail-joint comprising a chair having resilient flanges, and fish-plates formed to it the sides of the rail and having outwardly projecting ribs located between the upper and lower edges of the fish-plates and formed to exert outward pressure on said flanges when the fish-plates are in place, said fishplates and ribs being formed to interlock, so

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of February, A. D. 1895.

WILLIAM H. BAKER. Witnesses:

A. D. HARRISON, H. A. HALL. 

